Names, Brands, and Rebrands

The façade is gone! Insomniacs Ink is no more! My former publishing title is slinking away into my ever-growing pile of abandoned projects. I have ached and pondered for eons* for a shining inspiration of new branding** that would encapsulate my publishing platform with authenticity much moreso than Insomniacs Ink had done***
I kept it simple: Remley Farr Publications.
It has a nice ring to it, and it also has my real name. No, my last name isn’t Publications (though that would be convenient), but there’s an expected simplicity when your online moniker matches your real name.
So why did I choose Insomniacs Ink to begin with? Back when I self-published my Paragon book series, I wanted a fun little publishing name and logo to make the novels seem more official. I adopted the name Insomniacs Ink from a now defunct YouTube group that I used to manage called Insomniacs Incorporated.
So what would a publishing name give me? Possibly a perusing customer saying, “This writer has been accepted by a publisher!” after raising my novels to the high heavens amidst the sound of robot angel trumpets and buxom breasted bimbo babes. “This text must be fantastic! Here is a butt-ton of money and stock shares!”
Except it didn’t work like that. Surprise. Time to mop up all those burst bubbles. There were neither brass-playing celestials nor bosom-blessed hotties. My success was mostly noticed by distant relatives and my grandmother going “That’s a nice book. Write another. Here is an appropriate sum of money.” So I wrote more books until I found moderate success in writing 3rd party content for Dungeons and Dragons at the DM’s Guild. There aren’t that many robot angels and lady models in this business demographic, but they do exist…
Somewhere…
Anywho, long story short, my former name was a sham. A SHAM I SAY! I built it up to appear as though Remley Farr wasn’t the only member of Insomniacs Ink—as though Insomniacs Ink was a team of publishing fancy-pants folk. There was no “team” at Insomniacs Ink aside from the occasional cast member when I attempted a podcast.
So I went “honest” and put my real name up. And dammit, people found me! Other publishers and RPG enthusiasts who enjoyed my writing could find me a lot easier. Well hot-shit-and-corn-bricks how ‘bout that?
Brands do serve a purpose though. Some people want to be more under the radar, especially when first stepping into the world of internet marketing. Protecting yourself with a brand name is a good way to keep your real name out of creepy stalker-people’s clutches. Fortunately for me, I live in such a terrifying area that anyone who tries to stalk me IRL needs to be okay with navigating around alligators, forest fires, an alarming local cancer rate, choo choos making you late for work, and citizens willing to Make America Great Again. Also my mobile home is downright terrifying, like a lich’s lair on cement blocks with a beer pong table under the carport and an air mattress inflated with bad life choices. Another way I dodge stalkers: about twenty years ago a former tenant woman died on my kitchen floor so I’m sure her ghost is still around keeping people away. Sometimes she possesses my computer keyboard when I’m in the middle of typing
NO I DON’T
But if you’re about to kick off with a brand name, just ask yourself one question: do you want people to know who you are? I did, and I received more commissions after people discovered who I really was. But sometimes it’s best to adjust your exposure to a degree you are comfortable with. Start off behind an Insomniacs Ink, and once you’re comfortable with your new work environment, upgrade to a Remley Farr Publications
RELINQUISH MY HOME FILTHY MORTAL THE KITCHEN GHOST COMMANDS THEE
Get out of my keyboard, Ghost Lady!
* a couple of hours ** I wanted a different name ***to be honest, Insomniacs Ink is just a blabbering mouthful of stumbling syllables and I always had to repeat myself when people asked, “Why good sir, what is the name of your website/Twitch/Twitter?”